1. Technical Field
This invention generally relates to musical instruments having metallic vibrating elements and pickups for the same. More particularly, this invention relates to an electric stringed instrument, similar to a violin or viola, using a combination magnetic and contact type pickup.
2. Background Art
Acoustic musical instruments can be separated into two categories, the first being instruments with metallic vibrating elements, and the second being instruments with non-metallic vibrating elements. Generally speaking, the method of amplification for a particular acoustic instrument is dependent upon which classification that instrument falls under. Instruments having metallic vibrating elements, such as metal strings, normally use an electromagnetic pickup. This type of pickup has one or more wire wound magnetic pole pieces positioned in close proximity to the metallic vibrating elements. The metallic vibrating elements interact with the magnetic field produced by the pole pieces to produce a changing magnetic flux which induces an emf (electomotive force) in the wire windings. This emf, or signal, is then amplified by electronic circuitry and audibly broadcasted via a speaker or the like. Examples of this type of pickup can be found in Moskowitz, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,069,732, Holland, U.S. Pat. No. 4,236,433, Schaller, U.S. Pat. No. 4,535,668, Fender, U.S. Pat. No. 4,581,974, Sigelman, U.S. Pat. No. 4,184,398, and Alm, U.S. Pat. No. 4,765,219.
Acoustic instruments having non-metallic vibrating elements, such as nylon strings, require a different pickup assembly. Typically, contact or acoustic pickups are used. These pickups function much the same as a dynamic microphone, which has a magnet attached to a vibrating diaphragm and a separate stationary coil for sensing the changing magnetic field. Contact pickups are usually attached to the sound box or a similar portion of the instrument which experiences a suitable amount of vibration. A variation of this type of pickup uses a piezoelectric element as the sensing transducer. Piezoelectric elements produce electrical signals in response to a physical stimulus such as pressure or a dimensional exaggeration.
Each type of pickup has unique characteristics along with inherent advantages and disadvantages. Electromagnetic pickups are known to be efficient, especially in the upper half of the audible frequency band, and to be immune to audio feedback. On the down side, electromagnetic pickups do not sense the lower frequencies well, these frequencies being characteristic of the woods and various mediums which the instruments are constructed from. Consequently, the warmer-tones characteristic of a fine wooden instrument are not picked up by the electromagnetic pickup and the resulting sound can be quite bright or brassy. Contact pickups on the other hand, are quite efficient at picking up the lower frequencies and generally have a warm characteristic sound. They are, however, prone to audio feedback and do not efficiently sense the higher frequencies.
What is needed is a pickup for use on an acoustic instrument having metallic vibrating elements which exhibits the advantages of both the electromagnetic pickup and the contact pickup and none of the disadvantages of either. Accordingly, it is an object of the instant invention to provide a combination contact and electromagnetic pickup which is efficient in both the lower and higher regions of the audible frequency band and which is also immune to audio feedback.
The instant invention is also concerned with a particular application of the new pickup, specifically a new musical instrument which is closely related to the violin and the viola. Traditionally, both the violin and the viola were limited to four strings. This is largely a consequence of the fact that it is difficult to design and construct a resonating cavity or sound box to efficiently resonate over this large of a frequency band. Prior to the instant invention, violinists, violists and fiddlers were necessarily limited to playing an instrument having only four strings. Alm, U.S. Pat. No. 4,765,219, discloses an electric violin which uses an electromagnetic pickup to sense vibrations in four strings. Unfortunately, the frequency range of the strings is limited to the pickup band of the electromagnetic coil and consequently the frequencies characteristic of the violins construction are not carried through to the output of the instrument. The instant invention, through its unique combination of electromagnetic and contact type pickups is able to provide an instrument having five or more strings, due to the efficiency of the new pickup.
It is therefore a second object of the instant invention to provide a new musical instrument, namely a fiddle stick, which provides an electric five-stringed instrument which is played similarly to a violin, viola or fiddle.